Lower back pain after every ride. Anyone else?

[BOTG]

No matter how long the ride or the terrain, gentle blast on the canal or gnarly riding in the dales, I always get lower back pain when I get back.
My last ride I couldn't stand up straight, feels like lower back is really aching, I am on a full sus, any ideas?

Not sure what issue could be.

I am 5 ft 11
on a large Haibike all mtn 7 2021 (new)
and only a small backpack with tools.

Any ideas? suggestions?

 

[Trig]

Tried adjusting your seat height?

I get back pain/sciatica sometimes, and i eventually get a sore hip/low back if riding with my seat too low. Sometimes have to set it a bit higher than it needs to be to help.

 

[Monkey Dog]

Is your lower back covered from draft?
I actually find cycling helps my back. It's being upright that gives me grief, walking, standing & sitting for too long.

 

[steve_sordy]

Have you tried reading any of the links on setting up your bike to fit you?
Simple stuff like saddle height everyone knows about, but what abut saddle fore and aft, the impact of bar width and shape, crank length, and so forth. You might just find that your bike is the wrong geometry for you and will never be comfortable. I am a size large like you, but I have discovered that some "large" bikes are too short for me, but the right height; and with some the other way round.

This is an example:

 

[Zimmerframe]

Parts of my spine look like gravel on xrays. What’s up with you?!?

I never realised too much pelvic thrusting could cause that degree of damage ?

 

[Doug Stampfer]

I got an emtb as I was getting a lot of back pain from riding uphills on my accoustic. Since buying it I haven't had any back pain (except of course from lifting it over fences but that's another thing). In hindsight I put my lower back pain down to my hip flexors tightening considerably during the long grinding uphills causing sacroiliac joint pain. The geometry of my new Rail puts me a lot more over the front wheel than previous bike so I'm not so upright while climbing which ironically is easier on the hip flexors.
Now after a long ride if I need to I do a few hip flexor stretches. That's what has worked for me - I'd suggest to try to keep a record of when it starts to hurt.
Unfortunately as you may already know almost anything & everything causes lower back pain

 

[Zimmerframe]

It’s actually from carrying zodiac boats

Ah you see, I always let boats carry me ..

I jumped out of the airplane and the stupid earth hit me hard.

Zim tip of the day - always land on a cow pat !

But...... I did all that for the bar stories to get the hip thrusting work out!

I think you need an e-hip. You'd like the shimano one, it whines more.

 

[Zimmerframe]

No.... there’s plenty of that that comes after the thrusting.

I'm not surprised with you back ! ?

 

[BOTG]

I got an emtb as I was getting a lot of back pain from riding uphills on my accoustic. Since buying it I haven't had any back pain (except of course from lifting it over fences but that's another thing). In hindsight I put my lower back pain down to my hip flexors tightening considerably during the long grinding uphills causing sacroiliac joint pain. The geometry of my new Rail puts me a lot more over the front wheel than previous bike so I'm not so upright while climbing which ironically is easier on the hip flexors.
Now after a long ride if I need to I do a few hip flexor stretches. That's what has worked for me - I'd suggest to try to keep a record of when it starts to hurt.
Unfortunately as you may already know almost anything & everything causes lower back pain

Hip flexor stretches.. I'll will Google thanks. It painful after every ride can't stand up straight. Have an office job so prolly weak core as well.

 

[BrentD]

Tried adjusting your seat height?

I get back pain/sciatica sometimes, and i eventually get a sore hip/low back if riding with my seat too low. Sometimes have to set it a bit higher than it needs to be to help.

I had the same but found it went away by running my seat post just a little lower. Turns out I must have been "rocking" from side to side in my seat from running it too high.

 

[Husky430]

No matter how long the ride or the terrain, gentle blast on the canal or gnarly riding in the dales, I always get lower back pain .

Any ideas? suggestions?

Old age like the rest of us?

 

[BOTG]

47

 

[Gary]

Improve your core

 

[Jeff McD]

Boots on the Ground, you really do need a bike fit as a first step, also just saw Gary's comment which I agree with entirely on improving your core strength, and then if the pain continues after that it's impossible to give advice without an accurate diagnosis first. I am a sports medicine doctor so you can trust me on this, especially for low back pain which is very complex.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist. These people are really better than most family docs, and myself included, at determining exactly what structures are inflamed and causing the pain. They are marvelous at detecting muscle imbalances, tight joints like hip flexor tightness, or lumbar spine degenerative changes. Basically they will ask you to point to where it hurts, what makes it hurt, and take it from there to come to a diagnosis.
Always go to the best. Check around in your town for a sports oriented physical therapist or get feedback on who is the best PT in town. Talented PT's are amazingly effective, non-talented ones can missed diagnosis entirely. They will design a completely natural strengthening/stretching program that takes a few minutes a day that should be continued for the rest of your life to get rid of the pain and keep it from leading to degenerative changes as you age. Many family doctors just don't know this stuff well enough to give you an accurate diagnosis and will just recommend an anti-inflammatory medication which simply blocks the pain. That's generally not the answer to the problem. It's well worth it, even if you have to wait several months to get in and see the best person.
Let me emphasize a most important physiological principle: what actually stimulates healing of musculoskeletal injuries/inflammation in the human body? Most athletes do not understand this. Passive therapies do not, and they include almost everything: total rest, ice/heat, anti-inflammatory/pain meds, braces/wraps/supports, and then the heavy hitters, chiropractic adjustment, acupuncture, acupressure, massage therapy. Don't get me wrong, these things can all help with the pain temporarily but they do not actually stimulate healing of specific musculoskeletal injuries in the human body. Only active therapy will do this, because it stimulates your nervous system to actually initiate the strengthening process. This means resistance exercises (weightlifting/calisthenics) at home or in the gym. However, for some problems you have to avoid some specific resistance exercises or they can make it worse. That's where the skill of the PT comes in.
Try to remember this principle because in general you are supposed to hit the resistance exercises 48 hours after any musculoskeletal injury unless it is a more severe injury such as a dislocated joint which requires longer rest. Waiting longer than this just delays recovery for most minor injuries.
Hope this helps.

 

[Husky430]

I'm 58 and suffered from your problem, which coincidentally, started around your age at about 45. As Jeff McD says, find someone who can give you a diagnosis and follow there exercises/stretching. I stretch my hamstrings every morning and it keeps my back pain at bay.

 

[James_C]

stretching hamstrings daily, as well as trying to keep lower back straight whilst riding helps me. All too easy to start slumping and cause pain.

 

[Waynemarlow]

I get the same and it took about a year to really solve it. It was my calf muscles of all things. As we ride they get tight from use and as we get older they take longer to stretch out from all the standing on the ball of our feet as we ride. Now tightness of the calves pulls the whole hamstring chain of muscles downwards including your bum muscles, glutimous maximus. That in turn pulls the muscle glutimous medious down and out of position, which is the muscle that operates your legs. Whats the symptoms of poorly functioning glutimous medious muscles, chronic lower back pain. If your calves feel tight then you want to consider them as the cause.

 

[rod9301]

I get the same and it took about a year to really solve it. It was my calf muscles of all things. As we ride they get tight from use and as we get older they take longer to stretch out from all the standing on the ball of our feet as we ride. Now tightness of the calves pulls the whole hamstring chain of muscles downwards including your bum muscles, glutimous maximus. That in turn pulls the muscle glutimous medious down and out of position, which is the muscle that operates your legs. Whats the symptoms of poorly functioning glutimous medious muscles, chronic lower back pain. If your calves feel tight then you want to consider them as the cause.

Why would you ride on the ball of your foot?
The pedal axle should be under the tibia.

 

[Shifty]

Get some stronger drugs and dose up! I start the day with lots of drugs and wait in bed 1/2! An hour to let them start to work everyday! My bedroom looks like a chemist counter!
50 years young, terrible back pain right down through lft hip and knee. I ride with a high seat height. I get back relief riding, only when I jar my leg ? getting off sometimes does my back hurt riding. Walking just short distances is painful though 24-7.
Better to exercise than not with a bad back.

 

[urastus]

As a few have said, I find stretching works. Adductor stretch helps you get on and off the bike, hamstring stretch like the ballet dancers do (foot on the kitchen bench, lean upper body over your straight horizontal leg), and probably the most helpful stretch is the standing hamstring stretch. I'm stiff when starting to stretch but always get my hands flat on the ground. I also find that I aggravate my back in bed by bad sleeping positions - my possible positions are limited by aching hips and shoulders

 

[jonfon]

I used to get neck pain from most bikes that come standard with 20mm bars or lower and longer stems. So I usually put around 35-40mm rise bars on, a super short stem (35-40mm) and as many spacers under the stem that will safely fit the steerer, all of which lifts the front so you sit more upright. Completely stops any neck and back pain, BUT, it comes at a cost as the bike will not feel quite as planted on steep climbs. It makes it better for downhill though. Im much more into the downs than the ups though so it's a compromise I'm more than happy to make.

 

[Waynemarlow]

Why would you ride on the ball of your foot?
The pedal axle should be under the tibia.

Really, you may want to have a look at where cleats on shoes are mounted.

 

[Alexnavyblue]

Ive suffered from on/off back pain for years pal. Ive been stretching my glutes and hamstrings, however recently discovered the benefit of concentrating on hip flexor stretching after each ride.
Definitely helping ?

 

[TooTallPaul]

I was miserable and fortunately solved it. I got my bike fit so my pelvis is in the correct position and my back is pretty straight. I do the hip flexor stretches every time I get done riding or sitting anywhere for long periods. I bought the camelback low-rider pack so I carry the weight way down on my lower back. I started doing planks for core strength and squats. I am guessing if you hurt after short rides bike fit is probably #1. Best $100 I ever spent. Good luck.

 

[crazyethnic]

seat too high lower it by 10mm or get a slightly higher rise bar or even shorten your bars you need to be a little more up right.

 

[KCMitch]

I have the same issue at times. I have to stretch like crazy all day, every day. I had back surgery in 2011 when I was 33, for a double microdiscectomy (two ruptured disc in my lower back). I have sciatica pain again but with six herniated disc I know why . Now I just ride for exercise and try not to do anything stupid. A well set up Full suspension bike has helped. But I agree with the doc find a good PT along with hit a local bike shop and talk about the bike set up. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Wiltshire Warrior]

That bike is a on the heavy end of the Ebike FF spectrum, do you ride from home or are you transporting your bike with a car, I reckon you could get a hernia lifting that bike over a fence?

 

[RickBullotta]

No matter how long the ride or the terrain, gentle blast on the canal or gnarly riding in the dales, I always get lower back pain when I get back.
My last ride I couldn't stand up straight, feels like lower back is really aching, I am on a full sus, any ideas?

Not sure what issue could be.

I am 5 ft 11
on a large Haibike all mtn 7 2021 (new)
and only a small backpack with tools.

Any ideas? suggestions?

Do you do any core exercises? Cyclists tend to be very "planar" in their fitness. Work on abs, glutes, and obliques. Planks, side planks, crunches, glute lifts and such. It'll really help your overall fitness.

Also, sometimes tight hip flexors can lead to back pain because they don't allow your pelvis to rotate properly and create an unnatural position for your pelvis and lower spine. Try stretching those out (lunge stretches work well).

 

[Gary]

You don't really need to do any gym work at all to achieve a stronger core for riding.
Simply bunnyhop, manual and whip lots when you ride. Or just ride a lot of DH/Pumptrack

 

[racinghelmi]

No matter how long the ride or the terrain, gentle blast on the canal or gnarly riding in the dales, I always get lower back pain when I get back.
My last ride I couldn't stand up straight, feels like lower back is really aching, I am on a full sus, any ideas?

Not sure what issue could be.

I am 5 ft 11
on a large Haibike all mtn 7 2021 (new)
and only a small backpack with tools.

Any ideas? suggestions?

I had lower back pain each time riding my Specialized Epic. When I changed to a Levo it was all gone. The race geometry of the Epic was just too much for me ;-).